Shielded connector



Dec. 1, 1959 J. M. ALDEN SHIELDED CONNECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 50, 1955 HINVENTOR. JOHN M ALDEN BY @Z UEQGQ ATTORNEY.

Dec. 1, 1959 J. M. ALDEN 2,915,734

SHIELDED CONNECTOR Filed March 30, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mwszvrm JOHN M. AL EN /@v e c e.

ATTORNE Y SHIELDED CONNECTOR John M. Alden, Dedham, Mass.

Application March 30, 1955, Serial No. 497,908 6. Claims. (Cl. 339-143 Large and complex electronic apparatus is often divided among several Chassis which are interconnected by multiconductor cables to complete the various circuits. When the circuits operate at frequencies high enough so as to result in interaction therebetween it is necessary to provide electrical shielding which makes it impossible to connect the cables to the chassis components by means of ordinary connectors. A similar problem presents itself in a color television receiver where the kinescope tube base is connected by means of a connector at the end of a cable from the chassis which includes conductors of-several relatively high frequency circuits.

It isaccordingly the object of this invention to provide'a connector which provides shielding between its various contacts, which incorporates a novel type of contact, which is simple and rugged in construction, which can be readily and economically manufactured, and which is reliable and troublefree. A connector according to the present invention comprises a body molded or otherwise formed of an insulating r'naterialf'The body is provided with a plurality of recesses wherein are disposed electrical contacts at least one of which is electrically shielded from the remainder of the contacts by a strip or web of an electrically conducting material molded or otherwise inserted in the body. In one aspect the recesses are arranged in two concentric groups and the web in the form of a metal cylinder interposed between the innermost and outermost groups of contacts thereby to provide electrical shielding therebetween. In a more specific aspect the conducting ring has a flange which extends normally outwardly from one end thereof and is provided with screw holes for mounting the connector, for example, upon an electrical chassis. In another specific aspect each of the contacts comprises two interconnected cylindrical portions of a conducting material disposed with their axes in a parallel relationship. The first of the cylindrical portions is preferably slotted lengthwise and flared at one end to receive the prong of a mating connector. The second cylindrical portion is adapted to receive a-conductor one end thereof preferably being'necked down to form a cup to which the tip of the conductor is fused, for example, by soldering. brazing or welding, thereby to provide a low resistance electrical path therebetween. The other end of the'second cylindrical portion is preferably slotted or otherwise deformed to form a mechanical connection with an intermediate point upon the conductor thereby to preclude the imposing of any mechanical loading or stress in the conductor upon the fused electrical connection.

These and other objects and aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of several specific embodiments which refer to drawings wherein:

Fig. l is an isometric view of a first embodiment;

- Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

jFig.3 is an isometric'view of a second embodiment;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

. Fig.5 is a plan view of a. third embodiment;

United States Patent 2,915,734 Patented Dec. 1, 1959 Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an isometric view of one of the electrical contacts;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation view of the contact shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 99 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line 10-10 of Fig. 8.

The first embodiment of the invention which is particularly adapted for use at the end of a multiconductor cable is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This connector 10 comprises a cylindrical body 12 which is molded or otherwise formed of an electrical insulating material such as a suitable plastic and is provided with a cylindrical cover 14 of a similar material. The cover 14 is secured to the body 12 by means of a screw 16 which passes through a central aperture in the cover to engage a threaded recess in one end face of the body.

The body 12 is provided with a plurality of recesses which extend therethrough and are arranged in two concentric groups. Approximately midway of the lower body portion 12 the recesses are stepped so that electrical contacts 18' can be inserted therein and the connecting leads, such as the conductors 20, brought out through the portions of the recesses which are of reduced diameter. The body cover 14 is provided with similarly arranged apertures to provide access to the contacts 18. Although I prefer to use socket contacts 18 similar to those described hereinafter, it is to be understood that other. types of contacts such as are well known in the art can be used.

The contact 18 (Figs. 7 to 10) is formed from a single strip of conducting material, such as Phosphor bronze, into two adjacent interconnected cylindrical portions 30 and 32 so that the cross section of the contact is a figure eight as is shown in Figs. 9 and 10. The upper end of the right hand potrion 30 is flared as at 34 and the ends of the forming strip are brought adjacent as at 36 to forma slot lengthwise along an element of the cylinder diametrically opposed to the point of attachment to the other portion 32 so that the right hand cylindrical portion will readily receive a mating prong connector (not shown) and make'good electrical contact with full spring action distributed over its entire inner surface because of the deformation permitted by the slot 36.

The left hand cylindrical portion 32 of the contact18 isof sufficient diameter to receive the end of an insulated conductor 20 and is necked inwardly as at 38 to bear against the end of the insulation as a stop permitting the stripped tip end of the conductor to extend upwardly into the cup 40 formed above the neck. To insure a low electrical resistance current path between the contact 13 and the conductor 20, these are fused together, for example, 'by flowing solder into the cup 40 or brazing or spot welding the conductor to the side of the cup.

Near the lower end of the left hand cylindrical portion 32 is provided a circumferential slot which extends approximately halfway around the cylindrical portion. The center of the slot is joined with a second longitudinal slot which extends to the lower end of the contact thereby to form two opposed ears 42. These ears are crimped inwardly against the conductor 20 to provide a strong mechanical connection which receives any vibration, shock load, or other stress imposed upon the contact by the conductor. As such stresses and loads are taken up by the ears 42 they are not transmitted to the fused electrical connection at 40 whose mechanical strength may be impaired by the heating during the soldering or welding operation.

A web or strip of conducting material, such as cop per or aluminum, is formed into a ring 22 which is molded or otherwise interposed in the lower body between the two groups of recesses electrically to shield the re the remaining innermost connectors. the body 112 is recessed in the last embodiment to make spective contacts. It is to be understood that although the web is shown in the form of a ring 22, the invention is not so limited in scope and the shielding web can have other configurations such that it will lie in a plane which divides the body into segments or in another curvilinear configuration to isolate one or more contacts from the remaining contacts. 7

The second embodiment 110 of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 is generally similar to the embodiment described above in that it consists of a body 112 with a cover 114 and is provided with a plurality of contacts 18 and 113 which are disposed in two concentric groups of recesses. In the second embodiment 110 the shielding ring 122 of a conducting material differs from the above described ring 22 inasmuch as it is provided with an integral flange 123 which extends normally from one end of the ring so as to lie adjacent the end face of the body 112. Preferably the flange 123 is rectilinear in configuration with a side length substantially equal to the diameter of the body 112 so that the corners of the flange extend beyond the body portions as tabs or cars, as is best shown in Fig. 3. Each of the cars is provided with an aperture such as the hole 125 through which a respective screw (not shown) can pass to attach the connector to an electrical chassis or other suitable support.

As is shown in Fig. 4, the leads 20 from the innermost contacts 18 are brought out through an aperture parallel to the axis of the body portion 112 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the first embodiment. The outermost recesses, however, do not extend through the body portion 112 but are provided with radial slots for accommodating the leads to the outer group of con tacts 118 which are modified so that the lead can be inserted in the top rather than in the bottom thereof. When the connector 110 is attached to a chassis the above described construction thereof has the advantage of bringing the leads 20 from the innermost group of contacts 18 out upon the far side of the chassis whereas the leads 120 from the outermost group of contacts 118 are brought out on the near side of the chassis so that sheet metal portions of the chassis act as a shield.

The third embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is generally similar to the above described second embodiment 110 and its corresponding parts have been designated by the same numerals, the third embodiment differing in that two of the innermost contacts 18 are replaced by shielded connectors 218 which are molded into the body 112. Each of the connectors 218 is adapted for use with a coaxial cable so that its outer conducting shell acts as a shield to isolate electrically the associated circuit from The lower face of it possible to bring the coaxial cable to the connectors It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A multi-contact electrical connector comprising a body of an insulating material having a plurality of recesses in one end which are arranged in two concentric groups, the recesses in the innermost group extending axially through the body, the recesses in the outermost group radially extending outwardly through the side wall of the body, a plurality of electrical contacts disposed respectively in the recesses, the inner contacts having leads which project axially through the innermost recesses, the outer contacts having leads which project radially through the outermost recesses, and a web of conducting material in the form of a closed ring coextending throughout the length of the body interposed between the two groups of recesses with the ring axis cgincident with the axes of the groups, said ring having 4 a radially extending integral flange disposed substantially parallel to the plane of the leads from the outer contacts whereby the ring and flange electrically shield the inner contacts and associated leads from the outer contacts and associated leads.

2. A multi-contact electrical connector according to claim 1 wherein the flange of the ring is located at one end of the body and extends outwardly beyond the side periphery thereof, the extended flange portion being provided with one or more apertures for receiving fasteners for mounting the connector.

3. A connector having one or more electrical contacts each of which contacts comprises two tangentially interconnected cylindrical portions formed of a strip of resilient electrically conducting material disposed with their axes in parallel relationship, the first cylindrical portion having two diametrically opposed longitudinal slots one of which is disposed at the line'of tangency whereby the first cylindrical portion expands to receive the blade of a mating connector, the second cylindrical portion being necked inwardly at a location intermediate its ends so that the upper end forms a cup to facilitate fusing of the bared end of a lead to the contact, the lower end of the second cylindrical portion having a longitudinal slot terminating in a semi-cylindrical slot to form two opposed rectangular ears which are crimped against the lead.

4. A multi-contact electrical connector comprising a body of an insulating material having a plurality of recesses arranged in inner and outer groups in one end face thereof, a plurality of electrical contacts disposed in the recesses for receiving the prongs of a mating connector, a web of conducting material in the form of a closed ring coextending throughout the length of the body to terminate at the opposite faces thereof and interposed between the inner and outer groups of recesses to shield the innermost contacts from the outermost contacts, and a plate of an insulating material abutting the recessed end face of the body, said plate having a plurality of prong apertures aligned with the respective body recesses to increase the length of the current leakage path between the adjacent contacts.

5. A multi-contact electrical connector comprising a body of an insulating material having a plurality of recesses arranged in inner and outer groups in one end face thereof, a plurality of electrical contacts disposed in the recesses for receiving the prongs of a mating connector, a web of conducting material in the form of a closed ring coextending throughout the length of the body to terminate at the opposite faces thereof and interposed between the inner and outer groups of recesses to shield the innermost contacts from the outermost contacts, the ring having a radially extending integral flange abutting the opposite end face of the body, and a plate of an insulating material abutting the recessed end face of the body, said plate having a plurality of prong apertures aligned with the respective body recesses abutting the end recessed face of the body to increase the length of the current leakage path between the ad jacent contacts.

6. A multi-contact electrical connector comprising a body of an insulating material having a plurality of re cesses in one end which are arranged in inner and outer groups, the recesses in the innermost group extending axially through the body, the recesses in the outer group radially extending outwardly through the side wall of the body, a plurality of electrical contacts disposed respectively in the recesses, the inner contacts having leads which project axially through the inner recesses, the outer contacts having leads which project radially through the outer recesses, and a web of conducting material in the form of a closed ring coextending throughout the length of the body interposed between the'two groups of recesses with the ring axis coincident with the axis of the body, said ring having a radially extending integral flange disposed substantially norrnally, to the axis of the web ring 5 6 whereby the ring and flange electrically shield the inner 2,441,938 McGee May 18, 1948 contacts and associated leads from the outer contacts and 2,502,307 Bascom Mar. 28, 1950 associated leads. 2,563,775 Del Camp Aug. 7, 1951 2,594,004 Farish Apr. 22, 1952 References Cited in the file of this patent 5 2,697,213 Patton Dec. 14, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 2,163,771 Alden June 27, 1939 513,300 Germany Nov. 26, 1930 2,421,780 Frear June 10, 1947 595,178 Great Britain Nov. 28, 1947 

